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Med10727 - FM SVT Aus PDF
Med10727 - FM SVT Aus PDF
Supraventricular tachycardia
Caroline Medi, Jonathan M Kalman and Saul B Freedman
Sinus tachycardias
Inappropriate sinus tachycardia:
This is an unusual clinical syn-
drome; it is characterised by a
persistently elevated resting
heart rate (> 100 beats/min) that
The PR interval is short (< 120 ms) and there is a slurred onset of the QRS complex, with a widened QRS is disproportionate to the degree
morphology. The appearance and degree of pre-excitation that is evident depends on the conduction of the of physiological and/or patho-
pathway and atrioventicular nodal conduction. ◆
logical stress. It is important to
eliminate secondary causes of
sinus tachycardia (eg, thyrotoxicosis, anaemia) before the diagnosis is
300 beats/min directly to the ventricles (Box 5). This can lead to made. Enhanced automaticity of the sinus node, excess sympathetic
ventricular fibrillation and sudden death.14 tone and reduced parasympathetic tone are the principal proposed
mechanisms.20 Most patients who are affected by inappropriate sinus
Atrial tachycardia tachycardia are women, and it is particularly common in health care
Focal atrial tachycardia: This accounts for about 10% of cases of workers — possibly because they are more likely to self-recognise
SVT, and originates from a single localised focus of atrial tissue.15-17 tachycardia than the general population.21 The condition is poorly
The atrial rate can vary widely, from 120 beats/min to 300 beats/min. understood and, after secondary causes have been excluded, patients
Depending on the atrial rate, and on atrioventricular node conduc- may be misdiagnosed as having anxiety or a panic disorder. Monitor-
tion, the atria may conduct 1:1 to the ventricles, or with varying ing electrocardiographic function over a 24-hour period using a
degrees of atrioventricular block. Focal atrial tachycardia has Holter monitor is the most useful means of identifying inappropriate
characteristic anatomical sites of origin. The most common site in sinus tachycardia; classically, it reveals a persistently elevated sinus
the right atrium is along the crista terminalis, and in the left atrium rate (> 100 beats/min) during the day and normalisation of the heart
common sites are the ostia of the pulmonary veins.16,18 rate during sleep.22
The lack of visible P waves suggests that this tachycardia is due to atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia, or atrioventricular re-entrant
tachycardia with a concealed pathway. ◆
Management of SVT
Short-term management
The goal of short-term management
is to terminate acute episodes of
tachycardia, which can often be
ach iev ed by man oeu vres that
increase vagal tone, including the
Valsalva manoeuvre, application of a
cold stimulus to the face and carotid
sinus massage. Carotid sinus massage
can also provide diagnostic informa-
tion by slowing atrioventricular nodal
conduction and exposing the P wave;
it is performed by applying gentle
pressure over one carotid sinus for 5–
10 seconds during held inspiration.
This manoeuvre should not be per-
formed if there is a history of carotid
artery disease or if carotid bruits are
detected on examination.
If vagal stimulation is unsuccess-
ful, recommended drugs include
adenosine, and calcium antagonists
such as verapamil or diltiazem.25
Adenosine is advantageous as its The P wave of the atrial ectopic beat is visible as a distortion of the T wave of the preceding beat
onset is instantaneous and it has an (solid arrow). Retrograde P waves are visible immediately after the QRS complex (dotted arrows).
extremely brief duration of action. This tachycardia may be due to atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia with a concealed pathway, or
However, in rare cases it can aggra- atrioventricular node re-entry. This patient did not elect to undergo an electrophysiology study and
vate bronchospasm, cause atypical ablation therapy, and is not on maintenance medical therapy. ◆
The accessory pathway is capable of very rapid conduction, resulting in a ventricular rate that is greater than if conduction occurred via the
atrioventicular node. At times, the ventricular rate approximates 300 beats/min (arrow). Catheter ablation is mandatory in this situation. ◆
• have infrequent episodes of SVT but are engaged in a profession Combining atrioventricular nodal blocking agents increases effi-
or sport in which an episode of SVT could put them or others at cacy, but also increases adverse effects.33
risk (eg, pilots and divers). For patients who do not respond to these drugs, or for those
Radiofrequency catheter ablation is recommended for most of with WPW syndrome, alternative drugs include flecainide (Class
these patients. It has a low risk of complications, and is curative in Ic actions) and sotalol (Class II and Class III actions). Flecainide
more than 95% of patients.30 The procedure typically takes 1–1.5 and sotalol are more effective than atrioventricular nodal blockers
hours; it can be performed under local anaesthesia with sedation, in terms of preventing SVT, but are associated with a small a risk of
or under general anaesthesia. Patients usually stay in hospital ventricular tachycardia. This risk is small in patients without
overnight after the procedure for cardiac monitoring and observa- structural heart disease, but it is has been reported to occur in 1%–
tion. 3% of patients taking sotalol, particularly those taking higher
doses.34,35 Amiodarone has no role in long-term prevention of
Pharmacological management SVT, owing to the high incidence of serious toxicities associated
Long-term pharmacotherapy is generally used in patients who with its long-term use.36
decline catheter ablation, and in whom the procedure carries an Beta blockers are first-line therapy for the management of inap-
unacceptably high risk of atrioventricular node injury and pace- propriate sinus tachycardia; the dose should be titrated to balance
maker dependence. The goal of long-term pharmacotherapy is to symptom control with prevention of hypotension and bradycar-
reduce the frequency of episodes of SVT. In only a small minority dia.22 Verapamil and diltiazem are alternatives for patients in whom
of patients will episodes be completely abolished by antiarrhyth- beta blockers are contraindicated. A new agent, ivabradine, acts by
mic drugs. Recommended drugs include atrioventricular nodal blocking the sodium current responsible for spontaneous depolari-
blocking drugs and antiarrhythmic drugs of Class Ic and Class III. sation in the sinus node (If), which results in sinus bradycardia.37
Beta blockers and calcium-channel blockers (Class II and IV) are Ivabradine has no negative inotropic effects but may produce visual
suitable first-line treatments when WPW syndrome is not detected disturbance that is reversible on discontinuation of the drug. It is
on a surface ECG. Randomised studies have not demonstrated licensed for treating angina and, although there is relatively little
clinical superiority of any single agent, but beta blockers and published data on its efficacy, it may be trialled off-label in patients
calcium-channel blockers are perceived to be superior to digoxin with inappropriate sinus tachycardia who do not respond to beta
as they provide better atrioventricular nodal blocking action blockers and calcium-channel blockers. In patients with postural
during states of high sympathetic tone, such as exercise.31 Digoxin orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, increased fluid and salt intake,
should not be used in patients with WPW syndrome, as it may resistance exercises, squatting and compressive stockings may be
facilitate rapid conduction over the accessory pathway during effective.38 When non-pharmacological strategies are ineffective,
atrial fibrillation — potentially leading to ventricular fibrillation.32 beta blockers and/or fludrocortisone may be beneficial.22
Competing interests 17 Saoudi N, Cosio F, Waldo A, et al. A classification of atrial flutter and
regular atrial tachycardia according to electrophysiological mechanisms
None identified.
and anatomical bases; a Statement from a Joint Expert Group from the
Working Group of Arrhythmias of the European Society of Cardiology
and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Eur
Author details
Heart J 2001; 22: 1162-1182.
Caroline Medi, BMed, FRACP, Electrophysiology and Pacing Fellow1,2 18 Kistler PM, Roberts-Thomson KC, Haqqani H, et al. P-wave morphology
Jonathan M Kalman, MB BS, PhD, FRACP, Director of in focal atrial tachycardia: development of an algorithm to predict
Electrophysiology,1 and Professor of Medicine2 anatomic site of origin. J Am Coll Cardiol 2006; 48: 1010-1017.
Saul B Freedman, MB BS, PhD, FRACP, Professor of Cardiology3,4 19 Kastor JA. Multifocal atrial tachycardia. N Engl J Med 1990; 322: 1713-
1 Department of Cardiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, 1717.
VIC. 20 Morillo CA, Klein GJ, Thakur RA, et al. Mechanism of “inappropriate”
sinus tachycardia. Role of sympathovagal balance. Circulation 1994; 90:
2 Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
873-877.
3 Department of Cardiology, Concord Clinical School, Concord 21 Krahn AD, Yee R, Klein GJ, et al. Inappropriate sinus tachycardia:
Hospital, Sydney, NSW. evaluation and therapy. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 1995; 6: 1124-1128.
4 Vascular Biology Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, University of 22 Yusuf S, Camm JA. Deciphering the sinus tachycardias. Clin Cardiol 2005;
Sydney, Sydney, NSW. 28: 267-276.
Correspondence: jon.kalman@mh.org.au 23 Low PA, Opfer-Gehrking TL, Textor SC. Postural tachycardia syndrome
(POTS). Neurology 1995; 45: S19-S25.
24 Grubb BP, Kanjwal MY, Kosinski DJ. Review: The postural orthostatic
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management. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2006; 29: 769-778. (Received 15 Jun 2008, accepted 2 Oct 2008) ❏